Maurya Empire

The Maurya Empire was an Indian empire which existed in the Indian Subcontinent from 322 to 185 BC, with Pataliputra (Patna) serving as its capital. It was founded in 322 BC by Chandragupta Maurya, who overthrew the Nanda Empire before reconquering the Greek satrapies of central and western India. By 317 BC, the empire had fully reoccupied northwestern India, and, from 305 to 303 BC, the Mauryans went to war with the Seleucid Empire and acquired lands west of the Indus River. Under Bindusara (r. 298-272 BC), the empire expanded into southern India, and emperor Ashoka (r. 268-232 BC) completed this process by conquering Kalinga; he also introduced Buddhism as the state religion, replacing Chandragupta's religion of Jainism and proselytizing the faith in Sri Lanka, northwest India, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, Egypt, and the Greek world. In 185 BC, the Mauryan Empire dissolved with the foundation of the Shunga dynasty.